February, 2013 archive
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Looking a little better once more.
(snip)
The four-week moving average of jobless claims, a less- volatile measure, fell to 350,500, the lowest since March 2008, from 352,750. The average reflects a plunge to 330,000 in initial claims two weeks ago that reflected difficulty in adjusting the data from the holidays and the start of a quarter.
The number of people continuing to collect jobless benefits rose by 8,000 to 3.22 million in the week ended Jan. 26. The continuing claims figure does not include the number of workers receiving extended benefits under federal programs.
By Any Other Name . . . . 0
Details here.
The Skeevy Dirty Old Man Party 0
State rape returns.
Republicans are trying again to feel up women vicariously.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Celebrate your children’s birthdays, politely:
Aside:
One of the nice things about having an empty nest is never ever having to go to Chuck E. Cheese again.
More Tales of the Makers and the Takers 0
Another parable of who’s doing the taking and who’s doing the making (emphasis added):
Sunnyvale-based Bloom Energy, which makes fuel cells and sells energy to clients including AT&T, Adobe, Coca-Cola, eBay, Google and Wal-Mart, was ordered by a judge to pay $31,922 in back wages and an equal amount in damages to 14 welders who were brought in to work alongside domestic workers refurbishing power generators.
The workers in question were welders.
If you’ve ever been around welders, you know that welding is, indeed, a skilled trade. MIG welding is a little easier than arc welding, but, in either one, expert welders work magic with their torches.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Gun Nut Paradise in the pink.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source.
Join the new TWUUG forums and help them grow, then join us Thursday in person.
Tidewater Unix Users Group
What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.)
When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, February 7.
Directions:
Lake Taylor Hospital
1309 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, Va. 23502 (Map)
Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks)
Uno Chicago Grill
Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (Janaf Shopping Center). (Map)
Facebook Frolics 0
Nowhere to hide (emphasis added):
The app, scheduled for release by mid-March, is designed to help users find nearby friends and would run even when the program isn’t open on a handset, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public.
It appears that, once again, you’re zucked.
Where Was Harbaugh When the Lights Went Out? 0
In my local rag, Bob Molinaro ruminates on the electrifying Super Bowl. (I’ve been anticipating his column since the blackout.)
As a farm boy, I agree with him wholeheartedly–Dodge should have left Paul Harvey be.
Afterthought:
The word that comes to mind as I think of that spot is “cloying.”
No Labels, the Rebranding 0
Mike explains that the “no labels” movement arose because persons are embarrassed to be labeled “Republicans,” but that the stupid will continue with a new label.
“If a Dog Bites a Man, It’s Not a Story. If a Dog Bites a Journalist, It’s Front Page News” 4
On the Media investigates the coverage of the hacking of the New York Times.
A Text-Booked Case 0
Legislation cleared the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Monday. It would make texting or emailing while operating a vehicle a reckless offense in certain instances, give police more latitude to stop suspected offenders and impose fines of up to $500.
A similar measure is pending in the House of Delegates.
As I was driving home from my brother’s yesterday, I kept half a weather-eye on a driver behind me.
I finally figured out what she was doing.
In her right hand, she held her iJunk and the steering wheel.
In her left hand, she was pecking at the iJunk.
For about five miles.
All this at 55 MPHs.
I was most relieved when she turned right and aimed at someone else.
Facebook Frolics 2
Mark Zuckerberg failed to make Business Week’s list of the worst CEOs of 2012–by the width of an electron.
Follow the link to see who did make it.